


December 25th - Victorianlock

by ohdrey89



Series: Mollstrade Advent Adventurous Time Warp 2015 [10]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Christmas Caroling, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Eve, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Courtship, F/M, POV Lestrade, Silver Fox Lestrade, Victorian, Victorian Attitudes, Victorian Sherlock Holmes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 01:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5520917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohdrey89/pseuds/ohdrey89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Advent Calendar of Mollstrade (Mollestrade, Lestrolly) concludes.</p><p>December 25th - Victorian AU, and the final installment of our advent calendar. It's Christmas Eve and Lestrade shows up late to the Hoopers' Christmas Eve party, but as he's courting Miss. Hooper no one really minds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	December 25th - Victorianlock

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! Happy Christmas! One and all! To celebrate this Christmas Day, I give you a Victorianlock Christmas in honor of not only the special but a celebration even Dickens would be proud of. Hopefully I make Moffat & Gatiss proud as well!
> 
> Disclaimer: We didn’t create it, we’re not making money from it. But that’s not going to stop the ideas from coming, so here we all are anyway. We might as well live.

**December 25th - A Victorianlock Christmas**

\---

Greg Lestrade stood before the doors to the Hooper house with a sigh of relief. He was late but not overly so and ready to begin celebrating Christmas Eve with dinner, polite conversation and the attentions of the lovely lady he was lucky enough to be courting. He straightened the knot of his tie and pulled at the ends of his starched collar before dusting off the dusting of snow from his bowler hat and shoulders. The coat and gloves he wore protected from the cold well enough but he was glad to know there was warm home and roaring fire waiting for him inside. He knocked on the doors to the house with a grumble and a smile.

Lestrade braced himself for their surly housekeeper that disliked the detective inspector, greatly. Not that he blamed the red-headed, freckled fire cracker of a woman. He was a divorcee and a hot ticket for the gossip pages of the newspapers. Now that he was involved with Miss. Hooper, a woman the housemaid had raised from a little babe, she was often caught in the cross-fire, the famous detective inspector was mentioned for more than just fighting London crime. Alongside his name, more than once were whispers of why he found himself courting someone of little note as Miss. Hooper and not a woman of greater standing and fortune. He tried to throw his weight around to quell the gossips from throwing their daggers in Molly’s direction but Londoner would have their society pages be salacious. More than once Dr. Watson, Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes would be affronted on Molly’s behalf, and the British Government himself would not be deterred from finding out the source, and efficiently silencing it. Lestrade however was more than grateful that his lovely Miss. Hooper was a very tolerant lady and didn’t pay much attention to the gossip of others. He just wished he could say the same for the woman that now opened the door to allow Miss. Hooper’s suitor admittance into their home.

He looked up on opening of the door and gave a board, boyish smile at seeing Miss. Hooper upon the other side instead of the housekeeper. He brought Miss. Hooper gladly into his arms with a sigh of relief as she jumped gratefully over the threshold in the cold and the detective inspector’s embrace. Lestrade was pleased that he was free to do so being without the company of her father or a chaperone. It had been too long, much too long since the couple had time alone as the Christmas season seemed to not only be a busy time of year for commerce but also for crime as well. Miss. Hooper pulled the man in excitedly, before covering his mouth with her own.

“Oh, Gregory!” Molly sighed against his lips before pulling off his outer garments to hang up in the hall closet. “I knew you would come.”

“I would never abandon you on a holiday, Molly.” Greg rumbled pleasantly as he was quickly shed of his hat, gloves, scarf, and giggled as she swiftly pulled off his coat. “If you weren’t such a lovely lady I’d say you would have made a fine butler.” He admired her figure as she danced around him in a deep green velvet dress that covered her pleasing form from the top of her neck where white lace danced against her delicate jawline accentuated by the curls that came down from soft up-do she wore, down to her delicately slim wrists, making her arms look miles long and all the way down to the floor, the sleeves were embroidered with holly for the season as this was the best offering of her winter attire and she always wore it for the holiday. He accepted another kiss after she had placed his things in their proper place and came back over to daintily lay her hands upon his broad shoulders. “But being yourself is just fine with me.” He grinned as the breath whooshed out from his lungs when he saw the impassioned look in his lover’s eyes, as she leaned in for another of his kisses.

“Molly is that the Detective Inspector?” Dr. Hooper’s voice echoed into the hallway until the man himself appeared in the doorway with a knowing smile and a twinkle behind his glasses. Molly and Greg parted instantly putting a respectable distance between each other.

“Yes- uh- Papa, it’s Detective Inspector Lestrade.” Molly explained with a cough and an echoing cough came from Lestrade as he fought to keep himself from laughing but it did little to hide his amused smile.

“Well I’m glad it is I’d hate to see the reactions we’d get if you kissed every visitor like that.” Molly blushed further as the Inspector laughed genially at Dr. Hooper’s teasing of his daughter. “Are you going to invite him inside so that we can finally serve dinner?” Dr. Hooper shook his head with a chuckle as he watched his daughter pull her suitor in by the hand into the sitting room. There sat Molly’s Aunt Evelyn, Mrs. Hudson and Sherlock Holmes, making for a small but merry party on this eve before Christmas. Greg grumbled darkly upon seeing the consulting detective sitting before the fire with a cup a tea and a broad smug smile, knowing exactly what had kept the detective inspector from being punctual to the party tonight.  

“What took you so long Lestrade?” Sherlock quipped sedately as he sipped from his cup.

“I’d love to know why you were so delayed from spending time with my niece young man!” Aunt Evelyn scolded as she waved the detective inspector to the seat next to her on the settee before the fire. The large feathers from the frock she were bobbed as she spoke, another shocking er- triumph for the state of London fashion, Lestrade noted. Evelyn Hooper always outdid herself when it came to the costumes she wore and tonight was no different in celebration of the holiday. He accepted the cup of tea from her gratefully.

“Well there was a last minute murder just as I was due to leave the office for the day.” Lestrade grumbled as he continued to allow the tea to warm him.

“That’s awful!” Aunt Evelyn simpered at the idea of the Detective Inspector being forced to do such grisly work on the holiday.

“It can’t be helped Evelyn in comes with the trade.” Mrs. Hudson sighed with a sad shake of her head. She fussed over the Detective Inspector and Sherlock.

“I know Violet.” Aunt Evelyn concurred with the landlady.

“I can understand the lament Ms. Hooper, Mrs. Hudson. It was only a three and barely a challenge.” Sherlock bemoaned the paltry little distraction the case had offered him this Christmas Eve. Santa certainly didn’t deliver with such a boring murder. Especially considering that Dr. Watson was being entertained by his lovely and so far devoted Miss. Morstan.

“Yes, while it was barely a Chirstmas gift for his highness here, he left me with all the clean-up and paper work. It took me hours.” Lestrade grumbled angrily in Sherlock’s direction.

“Oh but Detective Inspector, you do it so well.” Sherlock teased. And just as Lestrade was about to protest Molly burst in from the doors that connected the dining room to the sitting room.

“Dinner is ready, everyone!” She announced brightly breaking up the conversation before Sherlock could instigate her suitor into bad behavior. She walked over to the Detective Inspector and pulled him into the dining room so that she could make sure they were seated together. Everyone was laughing at the detective inspector’s expense as they made their way into the dining room to an excellent though modest Christmas Eve supper. All the favorites in way of an English Christmas dinner were served and rosy cheeks abounded as the wine and warm atmosphere lulled even Sherlock into a state of geniality. The festive food filled their bellies as the warm conversation and wine lifted their spirits.

All was merry and bright over the Hoopers’ dining room table.

\---

Later that evening, when the men had returned from a quick smoke and a brandy, it was snowing outside but inside the Hoopers’ sitting room dessert was a delightful affair. There wasn’t piano playing but Sherlock had conceded to bring his violin at the behest of Mrs. Hudson and the group had finished their fifth Christmas carol. The singing was boisterous and with spirit, if not fit for the royal concert hall. The party talked and laughed as Sherlock begged off playing another song and instead traded his bow gratefully for a cup of tea and some Christmas cookies.

As the conversation settled, Lestrade cleared his throat. “I believe it’s time for presents, wouldn’t you all agree?” At the cheers of agreement the group gathered around the tree.

Everyone was distracted by the passing around of their presents that they didn’t notice Molly sit next to Lestrade with a blush and a small smile as she placed a tenderly wrapped gift before him. He gave her a pleased, warm grin as he tore at the paper and ribbons. Revealed to him was a gently, and precisely crocheted scarf in a deep burgundy.

“Your old scarf had been nearly in tatters for a while now. So I made you a new one. I thought the color would bring out your eyes.” Molly wrapped the scarf around his neck with a blush before the Detective Inspector could spend much time fingering the delicate stitches that were woven with love. The scarf was much warmer than his own and he looked to Molly with a warm twinkle in his deep brown eyes. “I was right, it does.” Molly concurred softly as she met his affectionate gaze, her fingertips running along the scarf’s fabric and the edge of Lestrade’s angular jaw.

“How do you like my daughter’s hand at the needle, sir?” Dr. Hooper inquired knowingly smoking from the new pipe given to him by Sherlock.

“Very much Dr. Hooper.” Lestrade agreed clearing his throat around the static flowing between himself and Molly. “And with your permission, sir, I would like to give Miss. Hooper her present.” Lestrade announced calling the attention of the whole room as he stood in the center.

“Well of course.” Dr. Hooper chuckled happily as he puffed away on his pipe.

“Why do you need to ask Lestrade? Just give it to her.” Sherlock questioned with a puzzled lift of his eyebrow. Mrs. Hudson and Aunt Evelyn hushed the oblivious consulting detective.

“Here, Molly, would you open this?” Greg asked as he knelt before the lady, placing a small box upon her skirt. Molly smiled opening the box. She let out a gasp upon seeing the piece of jewelry inside. She laid a hand upon her corseted bodice as she fought for breath. It was a ring. A diamond ring.

“Gregory?” Molly questioned looking up to meet his eyes with her own tearful gaze.

“Molly. I know I’ve done nothing extraordinary in this life to deserve your love. And I have a sordid past that no woman in their right mind would want to be involved with yet somehow you surprise me every day with your continued patience and understanding. I would count myself a very lucky man Molly Hooper, if you would consent to be my wife.” His brows knitted in worry as Molly looked down to the ring and was no longer looking to him. “Molly? Please,” reaching up to tilt her chin up to encourage her eyes to meet his, disbelief written on her face, he hoped the look in his own proved his feelings for her. “I love you, will you marry me?” Lestrade questioned, taking her hand in his own. The rest of the room looked on with bated breath for Molly’s answer.

“Oh Gregory…” Molly covered her mouth with her delicate fingers that weren’t woven in his own. Greg listened to the sobs spill out from behind her hand but didn’t know whether her tears were happy or if Molly was crying for another reason entirely. Doubt curled into the back of his mind, as all of the reasons she could say no echoed through his brain. Of course she would say no, he was a fool for asking. But he would gladly make himself a fool ten times over at the opportunity of calling this woman his own.

“Well Molly? Is it yes or no?” Her father demanded her to respond.

“Well of course she’s going to say yes.” Sherlock rolled his eyes, as he dug greedily into the Swiss chocolates Aunt Evelyn had brought back from her European trip for his present. That sidebar earned him another set of slaps from the elder women. He let out a muffled grumble of protest around his mouthful of chocolate, but still keeping a wary eye upon the couple.

“Well dear?” Aunt Evelyn encouraged gently, looking to her very overwhelmed niece.

Molly nodded fiercely, tears spilling down her cheeks. She reached down to clutch Lestrade’s hand in both of her own, revealing the ecstatic watery smile she had been hiding. “Yes. Y-yes! I will m-marry you, Gregory, yes!” Molly blubbered happily as Lestrade slid the ring onto her finger before bringing Molly into his arms. The rest of the room broke out into applause as Greg covered Molly’s elated cries with kisses.

“See I told you.” Sherlock beamed proudly, licking at the chocolate around his lips. Aunt Evelyn and Mrs. Hudson blubbered behind their handkerchiefs watching the couple celebrate their engagement, gushing about the wedding plans to be made.

“Isn’t this a delightful Christmas present, Samuel?” Aunt Evelyn waved her handkerchief to her brother watching her niece become engaged to the man she loved.

“Yes, sister. It most definitely is.” Dr. Hooper agreed with a sad but happy smile, seeing his daughter growing up before him. The kissing didn’t dissipate quite are quickly as the couple’s family thought it would and the group cleared their throats and broke off into polite conversation until they broke apart from their ardent embrace. The women pulled Molly aside to gush over the ring that now adorned Molly’s finger and the men pulled Lestrade into manly handshakes and shoulder claps in congratulations.

\---

That night as the last guest to leave, Molly wrapped Lestrade up in his coat and new scarf, as he slid his hands into his leather gloves with a pleased smile. Molly was making the best effort to avoid his gaze as she straightened his scarf, whimpering as her hands felt the muscles of his jaw ripple under her touch. A gloved thumb came up to encourage her chin to lift, as the rest of the fingers swept down her jaw, so that her eyes met his. Once again Molly’s eyes were wet with unshed tears.

“Happy Christmas, Molly.” Lestrade grumbled reaching down to leave a lingering kiss upon Molly’s lips as the grandfather clock in the hallway struck midnight. The kiss deepened as he brought Molly into his arms. Greg pulled away regretfully before he could allow the kiss to go farther than he had intended and he walked towards the door. He sat his bowler hat upon his head with a satisfied, proud smile and tilted it to Molly in farewell before opening the door.

“Wait!” Molly called running to the door. The long tail of her skirt swishing upon the floor as she ran to her fiancé. Greg looked to her, eyebrows drawn in question. Molly covered his mouth with a gentle press of her lips upon his. He barely had a chance to purse before she pulled away and she relished the look of astonishment upon his face as she backed away. “Happy Christmas, Detective Inspector.” Molly whispered demurely closing the door as the Detective Inspector made his way to his quiet rooms until Christmas breakfast the next day.

This would be a Christmas holiday they would never forget, and they would reflect upon this night often in their marriage for years to come.

\---

**Author's Note:**

> [Reblog](http://ohdrey89.tumblr.com/post/135915205253/december-25th-a-victorianlock-christmas) it, spread the word!
> 
> That's it, that concludes this Mollstrade Advent Calendar for this year! I'm so happy I got to participate and thank you to everyone here for leaving kudos and commenting along with me, and to everyone on tumblr for liking and reblogging! I had fun and I hope you did too! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are our currency of love, spread the wealth around.


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